Sleigh



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. J. METTE.

SLEIG-H. No. 403,766. Patented May 21 1889.

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Patented May 21 1889.

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N. PETERS. Phnlolikhagmpher. Washington. D. C

, 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

F. J. METTE.

SLEIGH.

No. 403,766. Patented May 21 1889.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

F. J. METTE.

SLEIGH.

NO. 403,766. Patented May 21 1889.

WITNESSES, a r /V102, f

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FELIX J. METTE, OF RUBY HILL, NEVADA.

SLEIGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,766, dated May 21,1889.

Application filed October 6, 1888. Serial No. 287,398. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FELIX J. METTE, of Ruby Hill, Eureka county, State ofNevada, have invented an Improvement in Sleighs; and I hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in sleighs of thatdescription known as bob-sleighs, which have two independent sets ofrunners, supporting, respectively, the front and rear ends of the bodyor box.

My invention consists in connecting both front and rear bobs with the'sleigh-body by means of king-bolts, so that both may be turned aboutthese king-bolts, and in connecting the front and rear opposite sides ofthe two bobs together by links having turn-buckles for adjusting thetension and taking up the slack.

It also consists in certain details of com struction, which will be morefully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a plan view showing two sets of runners or bobs with theirconnecting-links and turn-buckles, the body being removed. Fig. 2 is aside elevation. Fig. 3 is a rear View of one of the bobs, showing thehinges, bolster, and king-bolt. Fig. 4 shows the body and rail separatedand the latches. Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the body and railunited. Fig. 6 is a View of one of the crossbars, showing the clamping.Fig. 7 is a plan View illustrating the position of the runners andadjunctive parts in turning.

A is the body of my sleigh, and B and C are the front and rear bobs orpair of runners, respectively. Each of these sets of runners isconnected with the body, as follows: An elastic bar, D, of tough wood orof springsteel, extends across transversely beneath the front and rearof the body, to which itis connected by means of a king-bolt, E, andfifth- Wheels F, the upper and lower portions being respectively securedto the sleigh-body and to the central portion of the bar D. The ends ofthe bar are united with the tops of the sleds or bobs by hinges, asshown. The lower portion of each hinge consists of theupwardly-projecting semicircular lugs F between which the correspondingsemicircular downwardly-projecting lug G is fitted and connected by apin or bolt, H. The lug G is attached to the end of the elastic bar D bymeans of a clamp-piece, I, which incloses the end of the bar, so as toprevent it from splitting sidewise, and also by means of the pin Jprevents a horizontal split in the bar. The lower portion of this clamp,and upon each side of the upwardly-projecting lug G, is made concave, asshown at K, so as to fit over the upper ends of the semicircularupwardly-projecting lugs F. By this construction the concave part Krests upon the top of the arch of F and supports a considerable portionof the weight of the sleigh and relieves the pin or bolt from the strainwhich would otherwise come upon it.

The elastic transverse bar, upon the center of which the sleigh-body issupported, assists to make it ride easy and give a flexible connectionbetween the runners or bobs and the body, thus relieving the parts ofjar or strain.

In order to turn the two sets of runners around short corners and tomake the rear one follow in the tracks of the front one under suchconditions, I employ draft-rods L, the rear ends of which are connectedto the rear runners by pins in front of the hinged joints abovedescribed, and preferably below their horizontal level, as shown in thedrawings. These rods extend transversely across to the rear ends of thefront runners, crossing each other, as shown in Fig. 2. I have shownthese rods as having their front ends connected with the opposite endsof the front bar, D, at N, and as this point is above the connectionwith the rear sleds at N it is manifest that there will be a tendency todraw upward upon the rear runners and very nearly in line of the draftof the traces by which the horses are pulling. This steadies the rearrunners and assists to pull them over bad places, especially stones orpatches of bare ground. In order to adjust the length of these rodsexactly and make the two sets of runners or bobs track perfectly, Iemploy turnbuckles O, by which the length may be properly adjusted.

P is a transversely-placed buckle which connects the rear ends of theturn-buckles O at a point in front of the crossing or intersection ofthe rods L. The object of this turnbuckle is to take up the slack causedby turning very short corners, in which the distance ;the bolsters bymeans of latches b.

between the points of attachment to the opposite sides of the front andrear bobs vary, one distance becoming shorter than the other, and if itwere not for this means of taking up the slackone of the rods wouldslack, and the action of the rear bob would not be so steady.

Light chains, Q, may also be employed, which connect with the eye R atthe top of the front curve of the rear runners, thus uniting these withthe turn-buckle connections, which serves to give more steadiness to therear runners.

By this construction I am enabled to drive a team at a high rate ofspeed around short corners, to turn rapidly where it is necessary todrive a sinuous course, as in crowded streets or among stumps orobstructions. This is e'lfected because by reason of the peculiarconnections the rear bob will follow exactly in the path of the frontone, and the latter will pass exactly in line with the team which isdrawing it, occupying no more space than is sufficient to allow thehorses themselves to pass. It also prevents any danger of upsetting thesleigh on account of rapidly turning corners.

Different bodies may be attached between the rails a, which are securedto the ends of These latches turn on pivot. pins or bolts on the bodyand engage lugs or projections c on the rails, after which they arelocked by setscrews, or the latches may be actuated by springs, or havespring-shanks, so that they will engage automatically.

By this construction different bodies may be used and easily secured ordetached. Durin g the working-hours a suitable body for the purpose maybe secured to the running-gear, and when desired it may be easilyremoved and another substituted for pleasure or other purposes, the samerunners being employed for all.

'Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure byLetters Patent, is

1. In asleigh, the two sets of runners supporting the front and rearends of the body, respectively, in combination with the fifthwheels andthe king'bolts, by which each set of runners is connected with thesleigh-body,

and the diagonal connecting-links L and turn-buckles by which the frontand rear sets of runners are connected together, substantially as hereindescribed.

2. In a sleigh, the front and rear sets of runners connected with thebody of the sleigh by king-bolts and fifth-wheels, and the links or rodshaving their rear ends connected with the front of the rear set ofrunners and their front ends connected with the rear of the forward setof runners at a point above the plane porting the front and rear ends ofthe sleighbody, the transverse bolsters, king-bolts and fifth wheelsthrough which connection is made, and the hinged joints by which theends of the bolsters are connected with their respective sets ofrunners, in combination with the connecting rods or links having theirrear ends attached to the front portion of the rear sets of runnersbelow the horizontal plane of the hinged. joint and their front endsconnected with the diagonally-opposite rear portions of the frontrunners at points above the level of the connections with the rearrunners, substantially as herein described.

4. In a sleigh, the two sets of runners supporting the front and rearends of the body, the transverse elastic bolsters, through the center ofwhich the king-bolts of the two sets of runners pass, the clamps withinwhich the outer ends of the bolsters are secured, having thedownwardly-projecting semicircular lugs G, and the correspondingupwardlycurved projecting lugs F, fixed upon the runners, the

pins by which the two are connected together, and the concave support K,fitted upon the upper curved portion of the lugs F, substantially asherein described.

5. In a sleigh, the front and rear sets of runners supporting the frontand rear ends of the sleigh and turning beneath them by means ofking-bolts and fifth -wheels, elastic transverse bolsters having theirends hinged to the runners, as shown, in combination with the diagonallinks uniting the opposite angles of the two sets of runners, theturn-buckles by which the length and tensions of the links areregulated, and the transverse turn-buckle for taking up the slack inmaking short turns, substantially as herein described.

6. In a sleigh, the two sets of runners supporting the front and rearends of the sleighbody, the king-bolts, the fifth-wheels, the elasticbolsters supported by hinged joints upon the runners, in combinationwith the links crossing diagonally, and connected, respectively, withthe front and rear opposite sides of the two sets of runners, theadjusting and compensating turn-buckles, and the connecting-chainsuniting them with the front ends of the rear set of runners,substantially as herein described.

7. The double sets of runners with bolsters, and side rails secured tothe ends of the bolsters, in combination with the independent detachablebody, the latches attached to the body, and engaging-lugs by which thebody is secured to the runners,substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FELIX J. METTE.

Witnesses:

REMBoLD SADLER, MICHAEL G. CAVANAUGH.

